AppleInsider is reporting that Apple, for the second time in less than two years, appears to have scrapped plans to include a built-in iPod dock with some of its forthcoming Mac mini desktop computers.

"The dock connector, which was rumored to be located at the top of the computer, would effectively turn each Mac mini into an oversized docking station for iPods featuring the company's proprietary dock-connector.

Apple originally planned to add the dock only to its top-of-the-line Mac mini model, which it currently sells for $699, people often familiar with the company's pre-production computer plans said. The feature was scrapped for unknown reasons just weeks before the new computers are slated to hit production in the Far East, these people added," writes Kasper Jade and Katie Marsal for AppleInsider.

AppleInsider is also reporting that the new Intel Mac mini will go into production over the next few weeks, and make their official debut within a month thereafter. The new Mac mini is rumored to include a 1.67GHz Intel Core Solo processor, 512MB RAM, and Front Row.

Now, it's time for you to chime in. Do you think a built-in dock iPod dock on the Mac mini is a good idea or a bad idea?